Okami, the novel
by Hime Kurimuzon
Summary: She has the power of a god but faces the world in the form of a wolf. She has the power to create and destroy. Faced with her greatest challenge, to restore beauty to a world laid barren by evil, she must overcome the odds against her. C POLL ON PROFILE!
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Okami_. It belongs to Capcom and Clover Studios…I think?_

_Crimson: Yes, I know, it's ANOTHER ONE! Lol, but there's a reason for that: I don't get that many reviews for any of my other fanfics, thus no drive to work on them. Here's the broken-down equation:_

_No reviews= no new chappie_

_Crimson: So, yeah…I'll be working on whatever I feel like it (right now, it's currently this Okami fanfiction), since no one seems to be reading my other stories. **shrugs** If you want to change that, just review whichever story you want updated^.^ And I'll start keeping a list of all the ones I get a review on so that I can update them the next day^.^ *hint hint*_

_So, just for your information, this is an _Okami_ novelization! I don't know why I wanted to do this so badly…but I did, so… Yeah… Please, let me know if I'm doing a decent job on this? I'm begging you!_

_Now, that I am _finally_ done ranting…READ ON!_

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><p><strong>Part One: The Eight-Headed Serpent and the Goddess of the Sun<strong>

_**Prologue**_

_**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**_

_Long, long ago…a tiny hamlet known as Kamiki lay nestled in a grove of proud and beautiful cherry blossoms. Each and every tree around the quiet burg was honored as a god. However, the village was not without its dark secrets. _

_To satiate the appetite of Orochi—a fearsome cave-dwelling beast—a young maiden was offered as a sacrifice at the annual festival. With a body like a mountain and eight heads mounted on necks the size of tree trunks, its blood-red eyes alone were said to curse anyone who gazed into them. No one dared disobey the horrific beast._

_When the night of the sacrifice drew near…a mysterious white wolf appeared outside the village. This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed Shiranui. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and made a habit of patrolling the streets at night. People assumed the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi. One villager took it upon himself to face the fearsome Shiranui. The warrior Nagi attempted many times to challenge the wolf. But his attempts were thwarted by Shiranui's swift movements._

_Before long, the night of the accursed festival had arrived. A white plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the sky, the arrow sunk its shaft squarely into the home of Nami, the village's most beautiful maiden. Nagi—harboring a secret love for Nami—was enraged by this sign. Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast's cave in place of his beloved. The Moon Cave, a place as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi's home. As Nagi stood bravely before the entrance, a beast appeared—eyes glowing crimson upon eight thrashing necks._

_Orochi stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice. Nagi leapt with incredible grace, swinging his blade valiantly. On and on he sliced, well into the moonless night…but Orochi's hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch. At long last, Nagi, his energy spent from the intense battle, dropped to his knees, fatigued and gasping for breath. He knew he was staring death in the face. It was then that the wolf appeared. As if to protect Nagi, it stood its ground before Orochi. In the darkness of the cave, the wolf's coat shone brilliantly. Alas, it was Shiranui, the wolf that dwelled outside the village. Baring its fearsome claws, Shiranui leapt toward Orochi. Orochi reared its terrifying heads, readying its fangs for battle. The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness. _

_Mysterious and terrifying, the spectacle continued. Shiranui summoned gusts of divine wind to counter Orochi's flames. As Orochi closed in on Shiranui—sharpened claws glistening—a gigantic tree suddenly sprouted forth, shielding the wolf. Shiranui fought gallantly to gain the upper hand, however Orochi—protected by a mystical power—was not easily bested. Shiranui—covered in gashes; majestic coat dyed crimson—stood exhausted before the mighty Orochi. Orochi saw a chance to strike what would be the final blow, but Shiranui refused to give in. With its last ounce of strength, the majestic wolf gazed heavenward and unleashed a mighty howl. Suddenly, the black clouds overhead dissipated. The light from above glinted off Nagi's sword as a beacon of hope._

_Guided by his sword, Nagi—who had been taking shelter in the shadows—stood proudly to face his adversary. Channeling all his strength into his scarred and battered arms, he leapt ferociously toward Orochi, his sword poised high. The golden sword danced in his hands like a puppet on a string. One by one, Orochi's fearsome heads separated from their owner. Orochi's broken body collapsed in a lake of its own blood. In that instant, the curse that plagued the villagers was lifted._

_As the battle subsided, the sun shone once again in the sky._

_Shiranui had succumbed to Orochi's poison and struggled to breathe. Nagi scooped the beast into his arms and returned to Kamiki. When they reached the village, Shiranui was no longer moving. The village elder gently stroked the wolf's head. In response, Shiranui let out a hoarse and pitiful bark…then closed its eyes and drifted off as if into slumber. Peace had at last returned to Kamiki Village. In honor of Shiranui's heroic exploits, the villagers erected a shrine and placed a statue of the wolf within it. Nagi's sword was christened "Tsukuyomi" and placed inside the Moon Cave. The villagers all looked forward to an age of endless peace..._

_However, this is not the end of the story…_

_There is more to this tale than most people know. 100 years had passed since Nagi and Shiranui's heroic exploits. It happened so quickly that no one in the village even took notice._

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><p>"Is this the legendary sword?" a voice asked in the darkness of the night. The stranger approached the blade which had its point buried in the stone at the center of the shrine. "Is this Tsukuyomi, the sword that banished the dreaded Orochi?" Doubt laced the tone, even a hint of disgust was evident throughout the male's words, as he placed both hands upon the hilt. "No…it couldn't be. It's just a legend… Nothing but a fairy tale!" As if in anger, he wrenched the sword from the altar—its resting place for the last 100 years.<p>

Suddenly—from within the shadows before him—eight pairs of glowing red eyes flashed into existence. An unholy aura overpowered the once-pure air, making him tremble in fear and the sword fell from his numb fingers. His wide, terrified eyes stared in shock at the eight serpent-like shadows rising from the very shrine he had just violated by releasing the legendary blade of Nagi. The earth shook violently beneath his feet and evil spirits sprang forth from the hole in the ground which Tsukuyomi had plugged. He tumbled to the ground out of both fear and loss of balance. Scrambling to his feet, he fled back down the shrine steps, but stumbled and fell once more at their base. Turning over, he craned his neck backwards to watch the dark spectacle before him as it stretched its hundred-foot-long neck out towards him.

What had he done?

"O, he who seeks power…" a booming voice—sounding just like grating rock or the roar of some terrible fire—began. One of the ink-black _things_ leaned close down to the stranger's face, swinging to and fro before him. "He who has broken my bonds…speak the words: 'I wish darkness unto the world'. Utter that prayer unto me, and unleash my power," the creature demanded. A few agonizing, terror-filled moments passed—the man trembling so fiercely that his brain ceased to function. Finally, as if instinct had finally broken through the paralyzing fear, he clambered to his feet and ran as if hell itself was on his heels.

The great beast watched the cowardly human flee from him before raising his long snout to the night sky and letting out a horrible roar as if challenging the heavens.

The man heard the earth-shaking cry and voiced his fear in a deep-throated scream. He ran as fast as his thick legs would go, intent on escaping the jaws of this legendary and evil serpent.

Meanwhile, the demonic creature—furious for the loss of the key to unlocking his great power—tore its roots from the earth…and released its fury upon the lands of those that dared imprison it. Flames roared to life, reducing trees to ash in a matter of seconds as they razed nature to nothing. Ink-black ash clogged the air, blotting out the sun and making way for the darkness of the beast's curse.

Its evil swept across the land of Nippon, affecting all those it touched. Trees were uprooted and flowers were destroyed…even humans were not spared…

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><p><em>A horrible tragedy suddenly swept over the land. However, there was one village that seemed to escape the terrible curse. The tiny settlement of Kamiki Village enjoyed the protection of a sacred tree. It is here that the real story begins…<em>


	2. The Great Goddess Reborn

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Okami_! Clover Studios and Capcom do._

_Crimson: Okay, so here's chapter one! I do hope that I am doing this alright… Please tell me if I am or not? I'm trying to make it as fantastic as the game. And I know this one is kinda short, but it did take me all day…O.o Sad but true… By the way, if you notice, I am trying to really peg the characters as far as their personalities go. For example, with Sakuya…I'm trying to make it to where she's not such an airhead… She may not have been, but, in the game, I kinda got that feeling, so… I'm just trying to give her a bit more personality. Let me know if I'm achieving that goal or not? Pretty please? With cherries on top? Or, if you don't like cherries, chocolate on top? ^.^;;_

_READ ON!_

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><p><strong><span>Scroll One: The Great Goddess Reborn<span>**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

The sky—turned a blood-red by the awakening of the great Orochi—swirled with darkness as it overlooked the destruction taking place upon the land of Nippon. Immense gusts of wind pulled apart rocks and trees alike, gathering the debris into a dangerous whirlwind which caused even greater damage. Nothing but ruin and barren earth were left in its wake as it steadily made its way towards a particular village…

Amidst the swirling rubble and evil gusts of darkness, the shrine of Shiranui stood strong. With its fangs bared, the stone wolf seemed to challenge the crushing power of the winds. One boulder, in particular, answered its silent growl, barreling straight at the helpless figure of the legendary white wolf. Just as the stone was about to shatter the vulnerable statue, a bright light intercepted it. The boulder disintegrated within seconds, and from the light emerged the wood sprite Sakuya—the Guardian of Kamiki Village.

Black hair—as rich as the wood of the tree she inhabited—hung in two neat parts on either side of her heart-shaped face. Her skin—normally the succulent color of a ripe peach—had paled considerably thanks to the strain of protecting the village she had under her protection. The pink of her kimono only served to enhance the unbearable white of her half-starved body. Even her almond-shaped eyes had lost their natural sparkle from the lack of sunlight; the darkness clogging the once-pure air having stolen it away.

"How troublesome!" the nature spirit mumbled, shaking her head sadly at the sight of the curse. "This is just like the ancient prophecy of doom. What has transpired to bring about such calamity?" she turned to the wolf statue at her back. Ignoring the signs of weakness beginning to stir in her roots, she gathered what remained of her power into her arms as she weaved her spell. "We must act quickly! There is no time to lose! My power has diminished over the years I've spent protecting this area. I don't have much time left in this world. Amaterasu, now is the time." Before her appeared an ancient relic she had been protecting for so many long years. A mirror—made of what appeared to be stone—had detailed designs on its circular back and what looked like flames etched around its edge. "We have never needed your power more. Shine your divine light upon this broken and polluted world. Let your heavenly rays become our hope as you guide us all!"

She tossed the holy artifact into the air as she uttered her prayer, watching as it gathered the power it had lost before returning to its true owner. Landing squarely upon the back of the statue of Shiranui, the stone mirror erupted into flames. The divine fire acted as a trigger, awakening the slumbering wolf beneath in a single, great burst of energy. White fur replaced the stony coat, coal-black eyes surged to life—no longer dead and gray—and the great beast took its first breath of air in a century.

Okami Amaterasu was alive once more…

In one graceful leap, the great white wolf, with its crimson markings, descended from the dais where it had slept for 100 years. She landed before Sakuya, looking around at the unfamiliar and dark scenery.

"Ah! Such divine white light! Such beauty and grace!" Sakuya gushed as the wolf—now awake and very-much alive—stood proudly before her. "The only one capable of such a wondrous spectacle is none other than our mother and the origin of all that is, Amaterasu! How delightful to see that the savior whose brave sacrifice sealed away the evil demon so many years ago has not changed one bit. Seeing you emerge after so many years spent as a statue brings happiness to my heart!" She sniffed, wiping the heartfelt tears from her eyes.

Amaterasu, meanwhile, bored with the long monologue and seeing that it was not going to end anytime soon, decided that taking a nap would be more beneficial. With a yawn, the she-wolf dropped to the ground, intent on getting some rest on something more comfortable than stone. Poor Sakuya was not in the least bit amused, but knew better than to anger the great goddess no matter how rude she was being…

"Amaterasu…" the tree sprite finally gave in, getting to the point. "Gaze above you and take in the condition of the sky," she informed the wolf as she turned to the red-and-black sky above. The heavy scent of evil filled the beast's nostrils and weighed heavily on even Sakuya's thin shoulders. "Since your untimely departure from our midst, the world has succumbed to devious and vicious beasts. They have ravaged our fine and bountiful country of Nippon…" she spoke with a voice full of sadness. Her thoughts instantly turned to all the withered trees which had sprung forth from her roots. They had been meant to protect the lands, but Orochi's evil had been too great, even for them… "But never have the circumstances been worse than they are at this very moment. Please use your powers to banish the darkness and punish those who would do us harm," she pleaded with the goddess-turned-wolf who still refused to acknowledge the poor tree sprite. "…Hm? Eh?" Sakuya felt something moving in her clothes, sweeping across her sensitive skin. "What is this? Has something stolen its way into my robe?" she questioned aloud, patting here and there with her hands in an effort to catch whatever it was. Giggles spilled forth from her lips as whatever had snuck into her kimono began to tickle. She threw her head back, still laughing, but her efforts were renewed on trying to be free of the unknown creature.

Finally, something small and green popped out of the top of Sakuya's robe from between her breasts. The thing—whatever it was—landed on the ground between wolf and sprite.

" Phew! What on earth?" Sakuya paused as she took a moment to catch her breath. Casting her eyes down to where the thing fell, she immediately recognized the glowing creature. With very obvious annoyance, she spoke to the little creature that was no bigger than her thumb, "You again?"

The green glow rolled over at the sound of her voice before popping up. Judging by the rapid jumping, he was none too pleased by the whole ordeal…

Amaterasu—startled from her nap—adopted an aggressive stance and started to growl at the unfamiliar creature. Though her memories of the past were gone, she knew one thing, at the very least: _never_ judge a creature based upon its appearance or size… This miniscule whatever-it-was could be dangerous; and she wasn't one to take chances…

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" complained a male's voice—high-pitched as if the speaker was very, very tiny. "Are you nuts? Boy, for a little thing, you sure make a big fuss! I was just tryin' to make the conversation a bit more interesting, that's all."

Sakuya gave the furious creature a withering glare. "Were you napping in my clothes again, bug?" she demanded, intentionally addressing him as such as punishment for his perverseness.

"Bug? I told you a thousand times not to call me that!" the creature yelled, ticked off by the word. "I'm a wandering artist. The name's Issun!" he paused for a brief moment, probably striking a pose, but he was just too small to be seen. "I'll show you just how great I am and it won't be long till you're bowing before my great brush!" He then pulled a scroll from out of thin air (probably some kind of magic his kind had at their disposal) and threw it over Amaterasu's face.

The wolf had to shake her head to get it off so that she could see it properly. It contained a surprisingly-detailed ink painting of Sakuya. In all honesty, it wasn't too bad—professionally-rendered, in fact…but she wasn't about to let _him_ know that…

"Well, whaddya think? Even cuter than the real thing, no?" he questioned; though it was obvious by the smugness in his voice that he was not expecting an actual response. With several skilled maneuvers, he managed to land perfectly upon Amaterasu's nose despite the wolf having tried to keep track of his movements with her eyes.

The wolf had her teeth bared as she balanced him, waiting for the perfect moment. She didn't much appreciate the fact that this tiny creature was, quite literally, walking all over her…

"What's with you, furball? You look kinda down in the dumps," he paused as if debating something. Inspecting the vivid crimson markings and general outline of the wolf, he carefully sifted through the memories of his travels. "Actually…you look kinda familiar…" he mulled it over. Finally, something clicked into place once he came upon one image in particular here in Kamiki Village. "Got it! You look just like that statue of Shiranui!"

Fed up with the green, glowing creature using her face as a footstool, Amaterasu turned her head and snatched him in her jaws. Not a second later, she spat him back out, his repulsive taste now coating her tongue.

"Whoa! Whaddya think you're doin'!" Issun berated, his previous-green glow transforming to an angry red. "Are you crazy? A handsome guy like me should never be covered in wolf slobber! You'll regret messin' with the great Issun!" He stopped his furious hopping just long enough to snatch his sword from its place at his hip. The blade made that unmistakable metallic swishing sound as it left its sheath. "Don't make me use my prized sword, Denkomaru against you!"

Before any more could be said, a great roar shook the land, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

Issun hopped back onto Amaterasu's nose. The white wolf didn't even bother to swipe him off this time as she looked up to see the swirling darkness grow more intense. She was more interested in where the growling had issued from and why it plucked at her forgotten memories…

"Wh-wh-what's that growling sound?" Issun stuttered. He had never before heard such evil voiced in a single roar. Not even those troublesome _oni_ could pull that off. It was then that he finally took note of his surroundings. "And why's it so dark, anyway?"

"O, great god Amaterasu…" Sakuya spoke once more, but her voice had grown weak. A bright glow slowly encompassed her frail form, radiating a deep-pink at the edges—the color of her blossoms…if they ever got the chance to bloom again… "I've used all the power I have to protect Kamiki Village. The village lives on. Their spirits lie encased in my fruit. Cut it free, and the village will be reborn!" she advised, uttering a prayer in her heart that all would go well for the amnesia-ridden goddess. Unfortunately, she had not possessed power enough to return the memories of past exploits to the great sun god. Nonetheless, Sakuya had every faith in the white wolf that bore the crimson markings and the divine instrument. "I trust in you. I know that you will lead us down the right path. Only your awesome power can restore life to the world," she called one final time, disappearing into a sudden spray of peach blossoms before returning to her original form—a sacred tree.

"The tree's returned to normal, huh?" the "wandering artist" stated the obvious as he gazed upon the leafless and, seemingly, lifeless tree. "That Sakuya girl sure said some weird stuff. The villagers' spirits are being kept inside the fruit…" Here, he looked up at a fruit—large enough to house a human—hanging from a branch. As big as it was, he was surprised that the tree could actually hold its weight. "That's the fruit. That girl said that if you cut it down, the village will be restored." Even as he spoke these words, he sounded highly doubtful. He heaved a sigh. "But it's awfully high up there. If you don't use some kind of special power, there's no way you're gonna reach it. This darkness is really gettin' to me, too. A lot can happen while you're taking a nap."

Amaterasu, seeing light bursting forth from a spot between Sakuya's roots, took a few steps towards the sacred tree. Then, as if compelled by an insatiable curiosity, she spun around and proceeded to exit through the gate which stood before the great tree. A pained growl erupted from her throat when she suddenly collided headfirst with an invisible barrier.

"What in the world?" Issun exclaimed, having felt the force of the collision from his position on the wolf's head. "There's something blocking the road leading back to the village! Am I still dreaming?" he asked himself, probably pinching his leg or arm to make certain that he was awake. Amaterasu gave an amused wolf grin when she heard his high-pitched squeak as he pinched a little too hard. Finally, deciding that they had lingered long enough, the goddess-turned-wolf rushed forward and into the light…

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><p>Please REVIEW! I'll get the next chappie out sooner if you do (yes, it's a bribe. I am not above bribery :3)!<p> 


	3. The River of the Heavens

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Okami_._

_Crimson: I hope everyone liked the last chapter. ^.^ And a big THANKS to all those who've reviewed! Reviews are inspirational! I will update if I get a review^.^ **hint hint**_

_In this chapter, you get to see Ammy's reaction to Issun a bit more. I don't know if she would really feel this way towards him, but…eh, it kinda just happened… Oops…^.^;; I'm hoping her personality isn't too out of her character…_

_READ ON!_

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><p><strong><span>Scroll Two: The River of the Heavens<span>**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

"Where are we?" Issun muttered as he and his companion entered a strange world. "It got awfully quiet all of a sudden. I don't remember any place like this in the village." He took a long look around, taking in the clear, night sky high above them. The stars were shining so brilliantly that—if he hadn't known better—he was sure that he could simply reach out and touch the velvet sky. And every bit of greenery around them seemed to radiate with its own inner light and glow like gems. In fact, everything seemed to give off its own light, emanating an oddly-comforting warmth. He had to shake his head to wake up from the dreamlike state which had suddenly befallen him. "Well, we better keep our eyes peeled. Boy, you really look so helpless. You sure you're gonna be ok?"

Ignoring him (as well as his insults), Amaterasu started for the bridge which lay just a few yards in front of them. She instinctively skidded to a halt when Issun yanked forcibly on her fur. How much longer would she be required to put up with this bug?

"Hold on! That's an Origin Mirror!" he explained the sudden halt, indicating the glowing object situated off to the left. The wolf—somehow knowing what he was talking about—turned to glance at the structure. It seemed to be built from a combination of stone and wood. Large enough to fit a human, the raised platform had plenty of space for a wolf like herself to stand. She placed two paws upon its surface, lips lifting at the uncomfortable feel of stone beneath her pads. After spending an entire century encased in the stuff, Amaterasu was none too keen to touch the cold slabs of gray any time soon… "They say once your reflection appears on its surface…your memories will be stored in the mirror for all eternity!" Issun finished with a flourish. The white wolf glanced up from the insignia at the center of the platform, catching her reflection—along with the glowing green silhouette of her companion's—staring right back at her. For a brief instant, the mirror's glow brightened…before returning to its previous-soft radiance.

Well, whaddya know… The little bug actually had some use. The gods knew that he had absolutely no nutritional value as she had the unfortunate experience of finding out…

Deciding that the mirror held no more interest for her, the wolf moved on. As soon as she crossed the bridge, Issun stopped her once again. A growl rumbled low in her chest, but, at least this time, he hadn't yanked on her fur…

"Look at all those pots just waitin' to be broken!" he pointed out, eyeing the earthen pottery with obvious greed.

If she could have, Amaterasu would have rolled her eyes in exasperation for his lust concerning treasure.

"If you bust 'em, there might be something good inside," Issun informed. She had to admit that it wasn't such a bad idea. She would need all the help she could get for her ventures ahead…

With a sudden burst of speed, Amaterasu smashed the line of pots with a well-placed head butt. As bits of broken pottery showered the green grass, money and (more-importantly) ink came flying out at them. Fortunately for Amaterasu's shining, white coat, Issun used whatever spell it was that he had to suck up the items into his inventory. For the benefit of her pride, the wolf purposefully overlooked the fact that the little bug knew such magic when she didn't…

"Way to go, my furry friend!" her companion applauded, ecstatic that _he_ didn't have to do the dirty work now. "You can do that anytime you see something you can break."

Taking in his advice with half her mind (or was it a demand?), Amaterasu placed the rest of her focus into finding a way further into this strange place. As if her paws knew better than her brain, she darted off to the right of where she had found the pots, circling to one side of the cliff face. Looking up, she spotted the top of what appeared to be a treasure chest. She didn't care about that. What really caught her interest were the footholds she could just make out about halfway up the rock wall. She crouched low to the ground, ready to spring…when she was interrupted, once again, by the bouncing insect hitching a free ride on her skull…

"Whoa, whoa, hold on there, furball! Get a load of that!" he shouted directly into her ear as if she _hadn't_ noticed the obvious golden surface against the dark sky above. "That chest looks mighty tempting. Let's go check it out. Getting up that high oughtta be a piece of cake."

Not if he kept interrupting her, it wouldn't! If he didn't taste so horrible…

She let that dark thought hang, returning her attention to the task at hand. Oddly enough, his company—as irritating as it was—didn't bother her as much as it should. In fact, it felt somehow _familiar_ to her…

She launched herself from the grass with powerful hind legs, landing halfway up the cliff face. Red leaves and tiny plants bloomed around her paws as if to give her a better grip. Using a trick her body somehow knew on instinct, she pushed off the crumbling dirt and twisted upwards. In the blink of an eye, she stood proudly upon the soft grass of the cliff top. Adrenaline pumped through her lithe body, but she could tell that some of her muscles had strained against what should have been a simple stunt. She still had a long way to go before she could be of any use in a battle against a monster as powerful as Orochi…

"I knew ya could do it," Issun exclaimed.

The wolf ignored him as she took a look around, curious about what lay around here.

"They say, 'Good luck is found in high places.' So, keep your eyes peeled. We don't wanna miss any treasure!"

As soon as he spoke those words, Amaterasu poked her nose into the lid of the chest they had spotted from the base of the cliff. She had caught the tasty scent of something that made her mouth water. Realizing that she hadn't eaten anything since her arrival in this world, she eagerly flipped the lid off with a thrust of her muzzle. God or not, she was _hungry_! She ducked her head into the dark recesses of the chest, clutching the bone she found inside between powerful jaws. She made quick work of the snack, feeling the emptiness in her stomach fill somewhat at the meager meal. Licking her maw, the white wolf loped forward at a quicker pace. Perhaps she could discover more of these appetizing treasures. It wasn't long before she came upon a bridge…or, more accurately, the remnants of a bridge.

"Looks like the bridge is out," Issun spoke for the both of them. "This shouldn't be so hard, um… Amaterasu, was it?" He spoke her name slowly, as if his tongue had a hard time forming the syllables. "That's kinda long. Mind if I call ya 'Ammy'?" Without waiting for a response, the artist continued. "Listen, Ammy…ever heard of the spirits of the brush? Good brushwork has its own soul, 'least that's what they say. Just watch. It'd take all day to explain… A picture's worth a thousand words, right?"

Ammy whined her response but watched patiently as the tiny artist brandished his brush towards the ruined bridge. The wolf cocked her head in shock when the missing part in the middle suddenly appeared in a splatter of black ink—completely intact.

Impressive…for a bug.

"Nice, huh?" Issun said with more than a speck of pride. "Just a little technique I've mastered called Rejuvenation." He failed to notice the wolf's ears flick up at the name as if in recognition. "It's one of many brush techniques that use divine power. It's a brush god power that can restore broken or missing things. I've practiced really hard just to master this one technique. But there are 13! Each one is a power of one of the 13 brush gods. Originally, all 13 were a single powerful deity. When the deity died, its power was split into 13 separate gods. The gods now dwell within objects all around us, but… God or no god, how could anyone have the power to master all 13?"

…By now, even Ammy—memories scattered to the four winds—knew the answer to that... Being the original deity had its perks. One of those perks would be the ability to master all 13 brush techniques. The white wolf—possessing an unusually-quick wit—had already deduced that _she_ had been the original deity. Why else would Sakuya have released her during such dark times? Not to mention the fact that she could _feel_ the voices of her children whispering to her though they were too faint to make anything out.

Well, maybe he'll figure it out… _eventually_…

Feeling a renewed sense of determination, the wolf rushed forward and crossed the bridge. Almost immediately after, the unlikely pair came upon a stone which read "River of the Heavens".

"The River of the Heavens?" Issun repeated, glancing off towards the expanse of soft-looking clouds directly in front of them. "They mean the fabled stardust river? But I sure don't see anything like that around here." He strained his eyes a bit harder, catching sight of a sliver of glittering blue mist near the island across the sea of clouds."It couldn't be that little puddle over there, could it?"

Amaterasu gave a pitiful whine. The idea of the river drying up in such a way leaving a foul taste in her mouth, though she knew not why. Pushing the unsettling thought to the back of her mind, the white wolf darted to the right, following her instincts and going up the hill. The sight of the stars shining down at her when she reached the summit eased her troubled spirit greatly. At least some things never changed…

"Wow! Look at the stars twinkle! I haven't seen such a beautiful nighttime sky in ages," Issun voiced the very thoughts the wolf harbored. Ammy gave a wolf grin, well-aware that her "ages" and his held a vast difference in meaning. "Hey, look! Are those stars forming a pattern, or is it just me?"

Ammy looked up just in time to see the image of a dragon flash in the stars for an instant. Feeling a pang of recognition, the wolf watched as the stars formed a constellation…but something wasn't quite right.

"Hmm… There's one missing…" Issun pointed out. "Guess I'll just have to draw the missing star!" Excited at trying something new with his brush, the miniscule artist placed a dot of ink upon the empty space. Instead of the star he was attempting to create, a leaf fluttered from the heavens. "Bah… Looks like I'm just not ready to draw missing stars. I sure spent a heck of a lotta time practicing that," he mumbled angrily, sounding not unlike a child who failed to get what they wanted.

Eager for her own attempt, Amaterasu disregarded her companion's sulking and twisted her tail around. Jabbing at the sky as if it were a black piece of paper and her tail was the brush, the goddess made her own dot…which quickly transformed into the needed star. The star—acting as the key to a lock—shone brightly with its fellows before the image of a dragon returned. Plucking itself from the constellation, the white, long-bodied beast descended from its hiding place in the heavens. With a scroll for a tail and four colored spheres clutched securely in its talons, the dragon landed with apparent ease before the sitting form of Amaterasu.

The area around the two gods transformed into a golden realm with only light brush strokes to indicate mountains or clouds in the distance. All in all, it looked no different than an ink painting.

"Ah… Why, if it isn't mother Amaterasu." the revived brush god acknowledged in a deep and rich voice, dipping his head in reverence. His scales were as white as the wolf's fur with matching crimson markings. "I apologize for not contacting you sooner during these long years. Having never forgotten you, I, Yomigami, god of restoration, have eagerly awaited this day when we could again meet." The love in his words shone through, sparking distant memories within the silent wolf. Why was it that she could not remember anything? "While you were away, the 13 spirits of the brush that you once possessed, including myself, have been scattered across this land of men, and now lie in disarray." At this, the Sun-Goddess gave a pitiful whimper, not liking the idea of her children being in such a state, whether or not she remembered them. A heart—it seems—_never _forgets. "I became a constellation and managed to survive until now. The time has come for you to seek out and reunite all the techniques. Your power is what is needed to restore the dried riverbed of the heavens and renew the flow of stardust."

In an explosion of light, the great dragon reverted to his original form—an orb of power. The sphere—labeled with his character—slipped into Amaterasu's waiting chest in another flare of white light. For a second, the goddess felt like her old self again before slipping back into her present, amnesia-ridden self. A fleeting sense of regret filled her at the loss, but she felt a little stronger than before. And, at least, one of her 13 children had been returned to her. She could already feel Yomigami's strength flowing through her veins.

For now, she would settle for that.

"Wow! That was Yomigami, the god of Rejuvenation!" Issun burst, unable to contain his excitement of what he had just witnessed. Ammy took a quick glance around, recognizing the familiar grass and starry sky of…well, wherever they were… A moment passed before realization hit Issun. "Wait… So you have the power of Rejuvenation now! Can you really use it to restore the River of the Heavens? That would mean you were as good with a brush as yours truly!" He snorted when he said that, obviously having no faith in the crimson-marked wolf he was accompanying through this place. "Nah… It couldn't be true. Who else could master this incredible god technique!"

With a low growl rumbling in her chest, Ammy dismissed the obnoxious attitude of the bug. She ran back the way she had come, passing through the spiritual gate at the base of the hill. She only stopped once she reached the edge of the River of the Heavens.

"Wonder if drawing some stardust would get the river flowing again?" Issun, once again, stated the obvious. Ammy was almost tempted to eat him again…_almost_. "Nah… It's one thing to fix a bridge, but fixing a starry river? There's no way you could pull off a stunt like that!"

The wolf snorted at his know-it-all attitude before raising her tail as ink dripped from its tip. As easily as if she had been doing this for years, Ammy filled in the missing stardust with her new Rejuvenation technique. She could hear Yomigami laughing inside her head at the shocked expression on the bug's features. Her mouth, too, stretched wide in a wolf grin, knowing that she had just deflated his overlarge ego.

About time he had an ego-check…

"Whoa! A river of stardust! So this really must be the River of the Heavens." His high-pitched voice suddenly adopted a nervous tone, "But what I really wanna know is who the heck drew the darn thing!"

Gee! I don't know! There were only two of them there, in the first place: wolf and bug. If _he_ hadn't filled it in, then there was only one other option left, right? He really wasn't fast on the uptake, apparently… Poor bug…

Amaterasu jumped into the stardust river, paddling her way across it as if she were in water. As soon as she reached the other side, she shook her coat to rid herself of excess mist. She wanted nothing to drag her down as she journeyed ahead, not knowing what awaited her and her bouncing friend. A familiar light shone from a gigantic gateway directly in front of them. With no other path in sight, the wolf bound through the door, eager to find the other brush gods…

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	4. The Cave of Heroes

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Okami_. It belongs to Capcom and Clover studios._

_Crimson: Yay! Another chapter! ^.^ And thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm very grateful for any and every review I get. I kind of sped through this chapter a bit so that I could get it posted tonight, so I hope the writing is decent XD, but please forgive me for any spelling and/or grammar errors since I didn't have the time to read through it…_

_READ ON!_

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><p><strong><span>Scroll Three: The Cave of Heroes<span>**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

The wolf stepped out of the light and into a world similar to the one they had just left behind. Instead of the floating island from before, this place actually looked more like a proper landscape—with trees, a cliff, and several large rocks. There was even a path that wound through this area, climbing steadily upwards. After only a few loping strides, both Ammy and Issun could see a river running parallel to the trail. Further up, Ammy's heightened hearing could pick up the crashing waves of a waterfall. It wasn't until she moved closer that the goddess noticed that the waterfalls didn't feed the river like she thought, but tumbled down through the clouds before disappearing into mist far below.

Soon enough, the pair came to a bridge. Without bothering to read the sign, the wolf rushed across it. Already she could feel the tingle of yet another brush god up ahead. If she had to relate the sensation to something, she would have to say that it felt like a limb waking up. Those needles one gets if a leg or arm falls asleep if the blood supply is blocked—usually by one's own body weight (ie; crossing one leg over another or lying on one's side with an arm beneath the body). Only the tingles seemed to be affecting the edge of her _mind_ rather than any part of her physical body.

Before she knew it, Ammy had reached a cave at the top of a steep stone staircase. Without bothering to slow her break-neck pace, she flew through the entrance, skidding to a halt only when she heard something slamming shut behind her. With a careless glance backwards, she noted that it had been a wooden gate. She wasn't worried. Worst-case scenario: she would ram through the feeble-looking wood either with her body or the flaming mirror on her back. Instead of concerning herself over their only exit, Ammy and Issun turned their attention back to what lay within the cavern.

"Is this… Is this the legendary shrine?" Issun mused to himself, scanning the cave they had just entered. He seemed not to have noticed the gates slamming shut behind them…then again, as small as he was, he would be able to get out without a problem. "We must be in the Cave of Nagi! The legendary hero Nagi is enshrined here! He vanquished evil 100 years ago with the help of the white wolf, Shiranui!" This—Ammy figured—he added for her benefit for which she was grateful. "First the River of the Heavens and now this place… Where the heck are we, furball?" The great wolf shook her head, no closer to the answer than he was. Both wolf and artist took a look around. Weeds grew everywhere—between cracks and trailing along the stone. Ammy caught sight of the statue at the same time Issun did. "Boy, this place is a wreck. See?" the little, green sprite pointed out, referring to the missing blade of the weapon clutched in Nagi's outstretched hand. Ammy perked up, picturing the blade of the legendary hero piercing the night sky as the light of the moon shone silver upon it. She had to shake her head to rid her mind of the nostalgic image as Issun continued speaking. "That sword's in really bad shape. The gods sure didn't do much to protect this place."

Overlooking her companion's slander on her children, Amaterasu approached the image of the mighty warrior. Without waiting for any more commentary on Issun's part, she engaged her brush with an expert twist of her tail and inked in the missing blade. In a splatter of black ink, the sword was, once more, whole.

"That really WAS your brushwork all this time!" Issun shrieked in her sensitive ears. Despite the ringing now in her skull, Ammy felt pride blossom in her chest. "How'd you get so good? Exactly who are you, anyway?" Before the wolf could get a chance to reply—if he could even understand her wolf-speak—something else caught the tiny male's attention. "Hey, there's another constellation! This one looks like a…"

Above them—filtering in through an opening in the cave roof—starlight shone into the shrine. Ammy tuned out whatever Issun was about to say next, quickly taking out her brush and restoring the missing star so as to revive the sealed brush god. Just as what had happened the last time, a flash of light engulfed the completed constellation before a tiny rat detached itself from the velvet, night sky.

Wearing a red scabbard at his hip, the white rodent unsheathed his blade with his teeth and displayed his skills with a few well-trained moves. After he stretched out his stiff, unused muscles, the rat perched on the hilt of his weapon while its tip pierced the ground of the golden land which Ammy had decided to christen as the "Meeting Place".

"Well, well, well…" the white rat drawled with obvious amusement in its squeaky voice. The crimson of his markings seemed to burn like fire on his little body. "If it isn't mother Amaterasu. It's been a long time. But with all these monsters around, the only place I could hide was in this shrine dedicated to ancient heroes." He snorted then, and Ammy felt a twinge of amusement herself. He did not seem pleased about being forced to hide; nor was he particularly-happy to admit that he had… With one glance, the sun-god knew he was a warrior all the way to his core; and warriors did not run and hide like cowards. "If there is anything I can do to assist you in your endeavors, I'm at your service," he bowed low to the white wolf before him, words sincere. Warrior he may be, but he only concealed himself for so many years so that he would be there to be of some use to his "master". "Make good use of this sword, as it was designed to conquer evil." With that last bit of advice, he transformed into a glowing orb with the character of his power upon its surface. The sphere flew towards Amaterasu before finally disappearing into her chest in a flash of light, just as Yomigami had before him. Again, the wolf felt a familiar stab of incredible power, and, again, it vanished, leaving her feeling empty. Still, she felt a bit more powerful than she had just five minutes ago…

"Hey, that was the god, Tachigami, master of the Power Slash technique," Issun informed the wolf as if she hadn't already known. Well, she _had_ forgotten his name, but the little rat's pride had struck a chord in her memories. Ammy whined, wondering what this all meant. "Wait a minute. If you're getting all these powers… Then you're just like that Shiranui!"

Well, whaddya know? He _did_ figure it out… Ammy gave a wolf grin, already having stumbled upon the same conclusion.

"You know, the wolf who fought and died alongside the great Nagi. When Shiranui died, the wolf's power was split into the 13 brush gods. This is crazy. Shiranui and Nagi? It's just like the legend." Shaking his head as if it was all too much to take in, Issun returned to the situation at hand. "Well, anyway, I've never seen this Power Slash technique myself." He started to look around as if searching for something to test on. "How 'bout showing your stuff off on that boulder over there? Lemme see you slice it in half by drawing a single line! I won't believe it till I see it!"

Without complaint—and eager to show off the latest technique she had reclaimed—Ammy used the brush by whipping her tail straight from left to right, ink dripping from its tip. The horizontal line she drew neatly sliced the rock in half.

"Wow! I didn't think you had it in ya, furball!" Issun exclaimed, sounding genuinely impressed. "I'm not even in the same league as you! Guess I really overestimated myself." At this point, disappointment had started to seep into his tone, but he quickly shook it off. "Hey, furball…er… I mean, Amaterasu…" he corrected himself. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable with the name as well as the being behind it. The wolf whined softly to show that she was listening. "I've made up my mind! If you're Shiranui reborn, then that means you can master all 13 techniques, right? In that case, I think I'll tag along until I'm as good as you! Lucky you!"

Amaterasu shook her head in disapproval, whining her displeasure as she tried (and failed) to throw him off. This was going to be a dangerous journey, threats abound. Despite his small size, Issun had a large ego and an attitude that was hard to miss. He would be an easy target for evil…

"Heh heh… It's no use tryin' to change my mind," Issun chuckled, amused by the wolf's efforts to shake him off. "There's no stoppin' me once I've made a decision! But enough about me! Now that you've mastered the Power Slash, you can cut down that thing Sakuya was talking about. Let's go back and give it a shot!"

Knowing they were finished in this strange area, Ammy agreed. Issun was right—they needed to return to Sakuya's tree and free the villagers of Kamiki from inside the tree sprite's fruit. With the Tachigami's Power Slash technique, it shouldn't prove a problem.

Turning her back on the statue of Nagi, the great white wolf headed for the exit. She used the Power Slash upon the wooden bars, not even bothering to slow her loping gait. Retracing her steps, she found herself at the base of the stairway near a waterfall and the bridge from earlier. Before they could go any further, something sprung from the shadows. Immediately, Amaterasu began to growl and dropped into a defensive stance. The green imp shrieked its fury at the wolf, brandishing its flute which it used to enchant little children so it could feast on their young souls. Issun stayed quiet, either too shocked to speak or too busy holding on to Ammy's fur to breathe a single word as the goddess sprang for the creature's throat.

Even weakened as she was from the century-long slumber and only carrying two of the 13 brush techniques, Amaterasu was a force to be reckoned with. Gleaming, white fangs, sharp silver claws, and the fiery divine instrument hovering at her back, the infamous sun goddess had plenty to work with…

The monkey-like demon danced around, playing its flute, looking for an opening. The goddess—unaffected by such a thing—snapped her jaws closed, barely scraping the fur of the beast's neck as the creature pulled away at the last minute. Instead of waiting for her paws to hit the ground so she could gather herself and attack a second or third time, Amaterasu flung the reflector on her back to attack the imp. Surprisingly, it caused an extensive amount of damage, tossing the imp several feet and stunning him. Without hesitation, the wolf charged again, using a combination of attacks on the dazed creature with the Divine Retribution until it finally succumbed to the ferocious assault. A burst of flower blossoms signaled the demon's demise, giving a bit of color to the battle-scarred earth. The ruined ground reformed, replenished by the splay of life-giving flowers.

Ammy stood still for a moment, taking in what had just transpired. This place—so pure—did not seem capable of hiding such dark creatures…yet, here one was. Could the serpent's power really be so great?

A shake of her head dismissed such depressing thoughts, and she took off at a run. The wind flowed through her fur as she picked up speed, watching as flowers and leaves formed in her wake. Faster and faster she flew through this holy land, retracing her steps all the way until she reached the first doorway.

She encountered two more imps on the way out, but they were quickly disposed of without incident. A few muttered phrases were all Issun bothered to mutter, but, otherwise, he remained oddly silent. It didn't take long after that to reach the sacred light which would take them straight to Sakuya's tree.

If Orochi was so powerful now, then would she be able to defeat him this time? Even with the 13 brush gods? Amaterasu had the feeling that more would be needed than that…

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><p>REVIEW PLEASE!<p> 


	5. Revival of Kamiki Village

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Okami_. It belongs to Capcom and Clover studios._

_Crimson: Finally, the next chapter! Sorry, about the late update… I had to work the last couple of days… But I did keep my promise on updating within two days of a review, right? ^.^ That's something. Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Again, it's a short chapter, but I wanted to update, and I couldn't resist the cliff-hanger :P_

_READ ON!_

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><p><strong><span>Scroll Four: Revival of Kamiki Village<span>**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

The light from the sacred tree faded from Amaterasu's eyes as she stepped out onto the hard-packed earth at Sakuya's roots. Stepping a few feet further from the tree's base, the wolf turned to look over her shoulder before applying her newly-learned technique. She swished her tail and, in seconds, the stem of the pulsing fruit was severed, releasing the souls trapped within.

Life poured out of the spelled peach, sweeping over the ground and filling the air with the wonderful, pure scent of nature. Flowers and trees sprung to life before Issun and Ammy's very eyes as Sakuya's protective spell was dispersed. Before long, Ammy could smell the clean, crisp scent of running water and the spicy aroma of fresh grass. Even the intoxicating aura of the flowers pushing their way into the wolf's overly-sensitive nostrils was a pleasant change from the foul stench of Orochi's curse. The dirt beneath her paws softened to the point where a plant could actually take root and rainwater would be able to seep into the soil so as to quench nature's thirst.

Orochi's terrible evil could no longer penetrate this serene area… It was now a sacred and holy land, untouched by demons.

"Wow! The village's been restored!" Issun exclaimed in awe, speaking for the both of them. He looked around in wonder at the amazing feat the tree sprite had managed to pull. "Sakuya came through big time! She really was protecting the village! But I sure wish I coulda spent some more time in her kimono, if ya know what I mean!" the little artist chuckled in what the wolf could only call a disturbing manner. Ammy tried her best to ignore the tiny pervert bouncing on her head. Oddly enough, she was quickly becoming accustomed to the pest's behavior. "But seriously, with monsters runnin' around and all…the village could still be in danger. Let's go see how they're all doing down there."

Ammy could not have said it any better herself...if she ever bothered to speak, that is. Judging from her previous meetings with two of the brush gods—Yomigami and Tachigami—the gods, even in animal form, possessed the ability to talk. For now, the sun goddess simply chose not to. Why speak when she had nothing to say? Besides, she seriously doubted that Issun was capable of holding a decent conversation without inputting his lecherous opinion on something or another…

As she thought such things, the white wolf sped down the dirt path which led the way into Kamiki Village, relishing in the wind combing through her fur. The flames danced wildly on her back as they spun around the reflector, mimicking her good mood. Ah! It was good to move like this after such a long slumber. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a nice run. In fact, she couldn't recall anything of her past. Certainly, she felt echoes of distant memories during her meetings with the two gods—her children—but they had been fuzzy and gray as if she were watching them from a great distance…in the midst of a typhoon… All she could do now was obey her heart—the heart that told her to fight those strange, monkey-like creatures which had popped up out of nowhere back within Sakuya's roots. Those same feelings urged her to continue this adventure, tracking down all of her missing children. Then…then instinct would kick in. She had absolute faith in her gut, so, for now, she had no worries… But she still wanted to remember out of sheer curiosity…

So lost in thought, she was, that Ammy failed to notice she had come upon a crossroads…until Issun yanked forcibly at her fur. Digging her claws into the dirt, the wolf just managed to prevent a head-on collision with a stone statue standing at the base of a cliff. Glancing from side to side, she noticed that two rather-large umbrellas were stuck in the ground on either side of the figurine. She took careful note, too, of the fact that the area they had arrived in was of a circular shape. Perhaps her attention to detail was a trait she had picked up in the past, honed by many battles where knowledge of the terrain was crucial in order to win?

Storing that bit of information away for later study, Amaterasu then glanced up at the man before her. Her dark-colored eyes ran over his physical appearance. The artist which had created this sculpture had skilled hands…but why did this piece have a pot for a head? Other than that little tidbit, every detail was precise and carefully-rendered.

Ammy huffed a bit as she moved closer to inspect the stone. The rough stone scraped a bit at her wet nose as she sniffed at it, trying to decipher the reason behind the sudden hammering in her heart. A tingling sensation hit the part of her muzzle where the stone had touched her. It felt a lot like the same sensation she received when a brush god was near, only slightly different. Was this what magic felt like? Before she could comprehend it further, Issun decided to speak.

"What in the world? I don't remember there being a statue here…" he trailed off, also studying the sculpture with a well-trained eye. Unlike his lupine companion, however, he quickly dismissed it. "Well, whatever. Let's go talk to the villagers!"

With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Ammy decided to heed his advice. She took the fork that went off to the right, her nose picking up the smell of rice fields and cut lumber. The only scent she was not getting was the smell of human…

After passing a bend in the stone path, Ammy could see the village…but no people. She raced through the village gate, entering the quaint little town. Slowing down when she caught sight of another statue off to the left, the white wolf felt ice snake through her veins. This sculpture was of a large woman with a pot of water balanced on her head. The field reeked of radishes—making Ammy's stomach grumble and her mouth water—but, by looking around, the wolf could tell right off the bat that there was nothing planted. Just a big, square patch of dirt with a statue in the middle of it…

"Hey, there's a statue here, too…" Issun pointed out as if Ammy couldn't see it right in front of her face. The wolf whined, not really caring that he was being so obvious. She was just worried for the villagers who had been frozen like statues. "It's like the villagers have turned to stone or something…"

Suddenly, an earth-trembling roar sounded. Ammy crouched low to the ground, instantly picturing a giant beast with eight thrashing heads. By instinct, she snarled…though nothing was in sight.

"Not again!" Issun complained but the wolf could feel him shaking against her skull. "That's not one of those smaller monsters that're lurking about. A roar like that's gotta belong to somethin' much bigger. Let's hurry up and find somebody with a pulse around here!"

Shaking off the overpowering urge to fight what was not there, Ammy continued on deeper into the village. The sight of a rice paddy caught her eye and she went over to it. Just as with the empty radish field, Ammy could pick up the smell of full-grown rice but could not see it. It was just a puddle, with another statue at its center.

This statue was also of a woman, but one with a much-thinner body and a more-ornate hairstyle. She was bent over as if gathering produce from her empty field. If this was another one of the villagers, then she had been frozen in the midst of her daily routine. Would that not mean that this change had been sudden and completely unexpected?

"No good. This one's not movin'," Issun announced from the top of her head. "Everyone here was perfectly fine just a few hours ago! There's definitely something strange goin' on around here. The village is back, but what's up with this dark sky?" At this remark, both Ammy and the tiny artist looked up. It truly was dark. Nothing but black, ugly shadows crowded the air above the little village. Ammy felt sick as if she was growing physically-ill from the curse. Perhaps Kamiki wasn't as "pure" as she had been led to believe? "Maybe it's dark outside the village, too! Let's find some high ground so we can take a look!" Issun suggested, somehow granting a sliver of hope to the depressed goddess.

If it was dark outside of Kamiki, too, then that would mean Amaterasu had not done something wrong when she had cut the fruit. The dark thought that perhaps _she_ had caused the current state the villagers of Kamiki was in had begun to seep into her mind. Some god she had turned out to be if she had allowed that to happen. However, if this was happening all over Nippon, then Amaterasu was not to blame. Of course, that didn't help much when considering they still had no way to return them to their original, non-statue states…

A large house with a giant orange sitting atop its roof drew the wolf's attention as she left the village, backtracking to the fork in the road from before. Ammy gave a wolfish grin, wondering if she'd ever get a chance to meet the people who lived there. They must be an interesting person if they had an _orange_ as a _roof_.

"There's definitely something strange going on," Issun commented as the two stepped out into the crossroads. Ammy silently agreed with him as she proceeded up a stone staircase—the only path she had yet to take.

"Let's find some high ground so we can take a look!" the green sprite repeated. Ammy gave him a flick with her ear, receiving a few choice words for her silent rebuke of his repetiveness.

They came upon a grassy area with a pond taking up a majority of the area. She circled the pool of water without a second glance—too intent on her present mission to care that not a flower grew anywhere in sight. A few leaps and bounds away stretched a platform which overlooked the village. The leafless branches of Sakuya's tree—Konohana—stretched towards the well-kept wood, level with it. Ammy found herself wondering if this was where the villagers prayed to their guardian tree.

Looking up to the pitch-black sky, Issun mused aloud."This is bad… The sun's not even shining. It's as black as night as far as the eye can see." At the word "sun", the wolf's ears perked up, but, as usual, Issun failed to notice. "And not a single villager can move a muscle… Is it some kind of curse? Did a monster do this? It's not gonna stay like this forever, is it?" With every word he spoke, the tiny wanderer sounded even more worried. For himself or for the villagers, Ammy did not know. She could tell the bug was brave—for the most part—but even the strongest warrior would shake in fear when faced with a demon's curse. "If only the sun were out to light our way… If you could draw a circle in the sky, we'd have ourselves a sun! But I guess that'd be impossible, even for a god like you. Maybe we better seek out another brush god for help. Of course, if you had that kind of power from the start, that'd be a different story…"

If Ammy could roll her eyes, she would. Had he forgotten already that she was a "god of the _sun_"?

Without waiting for his approval, Ammy used her Celestial Brush to draw a perfect circle in the sky. In the blink of an eye, the sun shone bright, banishing the darkness clouding Kamiki Village.

"Wh-wh-what the!" Issun stumbled over his words, shocked to see the sun suddenly appear out of nowhere. He quickly gathered himself, realizing that his companion had used the brush technique of the gods. "Hm… Come to think of it, your name IS Amaterasu! That's the name of the sun god!"

Wow… Picks up fast, doesn't he?

"So, it'd follow that you had the Sunrise technique from the start," he exclaimed as if it was big news. "With it, you could even turn night into day… Wow! You're no run-of-the-mill god, that's for sure! 'The flowing brush is like music from the heavens.' That's a line from one of my grandfather's poems," he explained when the wolf tilted her head curiously. Issun went on to further explain the poem, growing more and more excited as he did so. "He felt a skilled artist was like a musician of shape and color. Since you're such a great artist yourself, why don't we name your brushwork after that poem of his? It's called Celestial Brush! After all, your brush did bring out the sun!" Again with pointing out the obvious… "Well, Ammy… Let's get back to the village! We gotta see if the villagers are back to normal now."

Ammy nodded her head in agreement, anxious to see if her Sunrise technique did the trick in restoring the villagers. Before she could turn around, however, she sensed someone's presence behind her. An unfamiliar voice quickly followed.

"Hm? Who are you!"


	6. The Boy Monk of Buddha

_Disclaimer: I do not own _Okami_. It belongs to Capcom and Clover studios._

_Crimson: Okay, I was planning on this being like twice or three times this length, but kinda ran out of time, so…here it is! Told you I'd update within two days **winks** And thanks to all the reviews!…I hope you like Kushi's character. Tell me what you think, please? And Komuso…I don't know, this idea just came to me when I was writing his part. I thought it'd be fun for some reason… **laughs nervously** Hope you like ^.^_

_Btw, I've got a question for you all: should I alter Susano's appearance a bit? Make him a bit cuter for Kushi? I could do a drawing for this if you all want to see Susano, bishounen style ^.^ But it's up to you if I do that or not... I don't want to alter the storyline, but...this wouldn't really be altering the plot, would it? Just the description of one of the characters... Well, anyway, review and let me know what you think, 'kay?  
><em>

_READ ON!_

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><p><strong><span>Scroll Five: The Boy Monk of Buddha<span>**

**O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O**

Looking over her shoulder, the first thing Ammy saw was an orange bouncing high into the air. She followed its descent and found an old man…balancing the round fruit upon his bald scalp.

Ammy whined and tilted her head at the oddity of this situation, wondering why on earth the elderly human chose to wear produce like a hat.

Upon further inspection, the white wolf noticed that his beard was long enough that its silvery ends swept the ground. Hints of grey shot through the otherwise-white hair, revealing him to be of an age that far exceeded most of his race. The cane in his right hand and the bent-like posture he possessed further proved that. A rope had been tied around his neck in a bow, the brown conflicting with the faded-blue of his kimono. Ammy had a feeling that this may be a symbol of where he stood in this society.

According to Issun as he whispered into Ammy's ear, he was the village elder, Mr. Orange. A fitting name considering the citrus fruit sitting precariously upon his skull.

Ammy gave a wolf grin as her eyes drifted to the innocent orange.

"A white wolf?" Mr. Orange exclaimed in awe as he drew nearer to the pair. "Not the one who fought that terrible creature with Nagi? You couldn't possibly be the legendary Shiranui! No, it can't be…" the old man trailed off, a tinge of disappointment coloring his wheezy voice. "That story is 100 years old."

Getting bored by hearing the same old tale for what seemed the hundredth time, Amaterasu yawned. She ignored the man standing there as he stared hard at her. She was feeling rather tired all of a sudden. As soon as the headman mentioned that she could not possibly be Shiranui, fatigue had started to drag at her limbs…

"Still, you look a lot like that statue of Shiranui," Mr. Orange continued to mull things over, speaking his thoughts aloud.

Ammy, ears perked forward in interest, tilted her head. It was not his sudden revelation that had caught her attention, but a strange scent rode on the wind. Her ears twitched and her dark eyes narrowed.

"On the other hand, you don't look quite as smart…" the village elder continued, but Ammy chose to ignore him.

Instead, the sun god dropped into a defensive crouch and snarled viciously as she recognized the stench of those imps she had battled only twice before. Baring her fangs out of instinct, she tried to pinpoint where the smell was issuing from.

"Wh-wh-whoa! No need to growl like that," Mr. Orange stuttered, backing up. A nervous sweat grew on his brow as he eyed the wolf fearfully. "Can you really understand what I'm saying? Well, I'm not one to mince words. I just state the facts." he tried—in a pitiful way, I might add—to pacify the seemingly-angered wolf. He pumped his fists in front of him as if fighting off the animal's palpable anger, wide eyes focused on the sharp canines that could rent him apart as easily as a wet scroll.

Ammy—still growling fiercely—glared past him, finally locating the three green imps sitting calmly on the cliff overhead. As soon as she spotted them, their evil powers were released and it filled the air with darkness. The wind picked up, threatening to blow the frail human right off the wooden platform as Orochi's minions leapt straight at them.

"Hm? What's this sudden chill down my spine?" Mr. Orange trembled as he rubbed his head in obvious confusion. A feeling—like ice—had his skin the second the wind had picked up. He glanced around, not understanding the sudden weather change.

"Here they come, furball…" Issun warned into the wolf's ear. "Those are the monsters that've been plaguing these lands. They sneak into villages and cause all sorts of trouble! Step aside, furball!" The sound of his sword being removed from its sheath rang in the wolf's ears. "This is a job for my trusty sword, Denkomaru!"

Ammy was about to retort with a smart comment of her own, but did not have the time seeing as how the imps were headed straight for the defenseless village elder. With a powerful spring of her legs, the white wolf leapt into the air, causing Issun to fall off. Knowing the bug would be safe for the moment, Ammy did not hesitate as she grabbed Mr. Orange by the collar of his kimono. The overpowering scent of citrus filled her sensitive nose as she swung him like a sword to knock the imps away before tossing the old man off the platform altogether. Knowing that no normal person would be able to survive such a drop, the sun goddess wordlessly sent Yomigami out to break his fall before turning her full attention back to the battle at hand.

Issun hopped back onto her muzzle just as the trio of imps regained their balance. Angered by the audacity of these minions of Orochi for daring to harm a human right in front of her, Ammy did not wait for Issun's unwanted commentary. She pounced forward, swinging the reflector off her back and barking in satisfaction as it connected with the side of one of the imp's heads. A loud crack was heard and the demon flew off to one side, lying motionless on the ground. Its two companions lasted little longer than it, a couple hits with the Power Slash in combination with the Divine Instrument and they burst into flowers. Sensing a presence behind her, Ammy twisted her lupine body to kick the monkey-like creature that had been sneaking up on her. Another Power Slash and the demon's body was cut in half before it, too, transformed into a shower of petals.

Just as she was about to howl her victory, Ammy felt both her Divine Instrument and the Brush techniques disappear from her senses with a pop. A confused whine left her throat at that, but Issun directed her to a black gourd one of the imps had dropped. She went over to it just as the area around them flourished with renewed life. The strong smell of ink met her sniffing nose and Issun dropped down to collect it into his inventory. Within moments, the goddess felt her powers return.

How peculiar…

Another surprise came in the form of the land which had just been released from the demons' curse as it filled her with praise. She could actually _feel_ the gratitude of nature flood her heart as she stood there, raising her spirits and her power.

"Wow! You really get aggressive when you're mad, don't ya?" Issun remarked casually. He didn't sound too afraid even with this observation; instead, he actually sounded pretty impressed…

Yep… Better keep that in mind… Amaterasu debated on whether or not to speak that aloud, but finally decided against it. Uttering threats to someone she could, literally, squash like a bug seemed to be rather pointless. Besides, the perverted insect was starting to grow on her…

"Hey, you got yourself some Praise," he continued which had the wolf's ears perking up in curiosity of the word. "And look! See how that dried-up spring began flowing again?" Amaterasu followed the line of his tiny sword, eyes coming to rest on a peaceful-looking pond. "That's because ridding an area of monsters restores the gods' power to the land. People call it Divine Intervention. The more you restore the land to it's natural beauty, the more Praise you'll get. It's the source of your power." He sounded proud of himself for knowing all this information. Ammy had to admit that he definitely retained quite a bit of knowledge. And, with her current lack of such things, his presence would be very, very useful.

"Few people believe in gods these days, and that may weaken you, but if you try real hard, your true power just might shine through!" Ammy had her ears down at the first part, but perked up when he mentioned that it still wasn't impossible. Was he actually trying to make her feel better? She gave a wolf grin, although she knew he couldn't see her from his position on her muzzle.

"But boy, there's sure been a lotta monsters around lately. And that Mr. Orange you tossed around up on the sacred deck…" This time, instead of sounding admiring, Issun had adopted an admonishing tone to his high-pitched voice.

It was like getting scolded by a two-year-old, Ammy couldn't help but snort at the statement—her way of laughing. But what he said next sobered her up immediately.

"Looks like he thinks you're a regular wolf. Seems the gods have grown so weak people can't see them anymore," he continued to grumble. Ammy strained to hear what he was saying, but—even though he was right next to her ears—she couldn't make any of it out. "Oh, uh…" Issun sweated with nerves, rubbing the back of his neck out of sheer embarrassment when he realized that he wasn't alone."Anyway, I'll show you around the village. I have a feeling we're in for an epic adventure! This should be fun, furball!"

With Issun's directions (which were, now, unneeded), wolf and sprite headed down the stone steps. Since they no longer needed to rush their progress, Ammy took her time and admired the beauty around her. Beautiful trees, the scent of grass and flowers filling her nose, and even the dirt beneath her paws… Everything felt so _alive_. It was a nice change from the stone slumber she had been in for the past 100 years.

Before she knew it, the wolf stood at Mr. Orange's side at the crossroads. The old man was lying facedown in the dirt, mumbling incoherently. Ammy and Issun could only make out a few words.

"Ah… Great Shiranui… Oh no…"

Ammy gave a wolf grin, knowing that the old man would not be calling her "stupid" anytime soon… Yes, she _had_ heard that…

Movement off to her left had the wolf turning her head that way. The first statue they had encountered had returned to being a flesh-and-blood human. He still had that pot or basket on his head, bringing to mind a devout monk. Issun whispered into her ear that this was a Buddhist monk, dedicated to protecting all living creatures and harming absolutely nothing.

Curious about this strange belief of the like she had never before heard (at least, she _thought_ so), Ammy trotted right up to him. "Komuso" was what her companion had called him—meaning Buddhist monk. She tilted her head when he began to speak.

"Ah… I feel it. I sense it," Komuso breathed in a soft, boyish voice. Ammy doubted that he was any older than 17. "Foul beasts dwell in this place!" Here, Ammy felt her muscles stiffen, feeling something tingle at the edge of her thoughts. "Concentrate. Look hard. You see," Komuso continued as if urging the wolf before him to use her own powers to pinpoint the imps which had suddenly appeared behind them. "Right behind you now…"

Ammy spun around at the boy's warning, snarling when she caught sight of the three green imps. Each held a flute in its hand, brandishing them as weapons as they, too, unleashed battle cries. The wolf bound forward, watching as two of the creatures shrunk back in sudden fear. She focused her attention on the one who met her fangs head-on. The wood of the thing's flute splintered in her mouth as she bit it in half before it could be used against her. The nauseating taste of darkness flooded her tongue and she had to spit it back out before it could poison her. A searing pain on her right shoulder ripped through her disgust, and she sprang from the monkey-like demon that had dug its claws deep into her skin. Crimson blood welled from the wound, staining her snow-white fur in seconds.

Ignoring the pain, the wolf unleashed her fury upon the imps. Using both her Divine Instrument and Celestial Brush—wisely, this time, so that she would not run out of ink—Ammy hacked away at the imps' rock-hair skin until all that was left were three beautiful flowers.

"Humans are not witness to such battles, but I saw it!" Komuso praised.

He was a strange person, but Ammy felt herself ever-more intrigued by the odd boy and hoped to see him again. Her respect for him soared even higher when he kneeled down before her and rubbed some medicine onto the wound in her shoulder. Instantly, the pain ebbed away and the blood ceased its flow. She whined her thanks as he rubbed an ear.

"The fighting went on for exactly 8 seconds! Hmm… You fight well. I have chosen the path of Buddha, but in you I sense another power. And I see the path you have chosen is also a path of truth." He bowed low to the wolf. Ammy instantly felt herself grow stronger and knew, somehow, that she had just restored a piece of lost faith in this young human.

At Issun's urging, Ammy left the monk to himself and headed down to the village to make certain the other humans had been returned to life, as well. She would have trotted right up to the heavy-set woman standing in the middle of her field, but she was sending the wolf what could only be described as a death glare… Needless to say, Amaterasu decided to make a beeline for the rice paddy, instead. The sound of someone singing drifted into her ears long before she actually saw the young woman gathering the rice from her field. Drawn by the melodious voice, the white wolf limped over to the girl and allowed her to coo over her. The girl—Kushi according to Issun—used the water from her field to wash away the dried blood from her fur.

"Well, what a fine-looking wolf!" the young woman gushed as she cleaned the edges of the injury with a torn piece from her pink-and-yellow kimono. Concern gleamed in her dark-brown eyes, but she knew how hard life could be for a wolf and, so, kept quiet about the origins of the claw marks. "What's your name? Mine's Kushi. It's a pleasure to meet you." Kushi got to her feet after she finished cleaning the wolf's beautiful snowy fur. The headdress she had balanced on her head greatly resembled three barrels or rice bales, maybe. Amaterasu wasn't sure which, but she did know that it was an odd decoration. Still, it seemed to work for her, since, despite that odd piece, Kushi was very pretty.

"Working in the fields again, are ya?" Issun asked. Ammy found herself wondering if he had been down this woman's kimono, too, but quickly shook her head to dismiss such thoughts.

"Issun!" Kushi yelped, jumping up in surprise at the high-pitched voice of her little friend. She leaned over to get at his eye-level on the wolf's head. "Are you and the wolf together?" Realizing how this sounded, she blushed as she shook her head at her own words and quickly brought up another topic. "This is where I grow the rice for making my sake, you know. But I have to manage the harvest all on my own. It's hard work. Maybe I should have Susano give me a hand again this year." Realizing whose name just slipped past her lips, embarrassment, once again, tinted her cheeks a cherry-red. She jumped up and down as her own girlish excitement overflowed. Kushi was quite thankful that only Issun and the wolf were here to witness such foolishness, but she just couldn't help herself! "Oh, listen to me blabbering on! I just can't help chatting to you!"

"Why, Ammy, I think you found a friend here!" Issun congratulated with just a hint of sarcasm. He chuckled at Ammy's whine for his teasing. "You'll meet many people who want to talk to you like this. It might even be valuable information sometimes! They may just be muttering to themselves, but it pays to listen!" the tiny artist advised, giving Kushi the time to calm down.

"Susano's a neighbor of mine," she explained after her little fit. Her cheeks still retained a rosy tint to them, but she had ceased her cheerful jumping, at least. "He's a little unusual, but…" here, she trailed off, not knowing how to explain it. She settled for simply shrugging her shoulders. "He goes around with a huge sword slung over his shoulder. He's always practicing with it. They say he's a direct descendant of our legendary hero, Nagi. And he loves his sake, too. He often pops around here to buy it. Make sure to say hello when you see Susano. He could use a friend, I should think. He's always on his own." She gave the wolf one last, loving rub behind her ear before going back to gathering her crop. She started to hum as she worked, the water drenching the bottom of her torn kimono.

Ammy left her to her work, heading further into the village. The injury she had maintained started to burn in discomfort. Soon, she would need to rest. Thinking back, she had been awake and moving for _hours_ without a moment's rest. It was nearing sunset, now, so her strength—the power she derived from the sun—was waning fast.

Catching sight of an elderly woman off to the left, Amaterasu headed over to the water. Her gray-white hair was pulled back in a low bun and she had a yellow band on her head. The bright-yellow sash around her waist contrasted brilliantly with the lilac color of her kimono. Issun mentioned something about this being Mr. Orange's wife, Mrs. Orange. She was doing her laundry, washing it in the river. Looking around, the wolf noticed that there was no drying pole. The mischievous imps must have stolen it. With a snort at the demons' antics, Ammy quickly drew it in without a second thought.

"A new drying pole?" Mrs. Orange exclaimed when she glanced up from her washing at the sound of the ink splattering. She straightened to her full short height to stare in wonderment at the image."Oh my! Where did that come from! The gods must have answered my prayers." She bowed her thanks to the gods she could not see…or did not realize was standing right in front of her."How wonderful! Time to dry the laundry." She leapt up and down in joy, as much as she could with her old bones. Though an elder, the wife of Mr. Orange still possessed quite a bit of spirit and strength thanks to the workout she received simply by going about her daily routine.

Ammy grinned, revealing her gleaming canines as she approached the busy woman. This town certainly held quite a few interesting characters…

"Well, I'm glad I was able to hang my laundry, but…" Mrs. Orange drifted off, turning her bright eyes up to the sky. She let out a tired sigh when she noticed how late it was getting. Not only that, but the bright circle seemed not to be anywhere near as close as it should. "The sun seems to be so far away these days. Maybe it doesn't like all those monsters that are lurking about?If only it would shine closer, my laundry would dry in a second."

The wolf whined, wanting night to come so she could sleep, but felt that annoying sense of responsibility nudging her conscience. Issun, of course, was right there with it. His high-pitched, squeaky voice snapped at her to draw the circle in the sky. She refrained from eating the annoying little bug…

"My word! The sun has suddenly drawn so close…" Mrs. Orange commented aloud, eyes wide at the sudden brightness in the sky. Whatever tendrils of darkness which had been lingering from the remnants of Orochi's curse disappeared in the light's presence. "My laundry will be bone dry in no time. First my pole, and now this? Will the miracles never cease? Maybe I ought to make some Cherry Cakes to offer to the sun. Come back tonight if you want some, too, Snowball," she informed the white wolf with a grin. And, here, Ammy was starting to think the old woman had yet to notice her…"No one makes better Cherry Cake. They're mouth-watering good!"

Ammy felt her own saliva gather in her mouth at the prospect, but one glance at the sky told her that it was going to be a while before she'd have the chance to taste these "famous Cherry Cakes". So, instead, she decided to waste time by exploring the rest of the village.


End file.
